Bandits Vs Walter Ferretti in New CONCACAF Club League

John Saldivar

In sporting news, there was a victory parade on Monday night in Belmopan for the national football and basketball champions, Belmopan Bandits, owned by Minister John Saldivar. The matter of improper usage of Coast Guard vessels appears to be behind him despite still being on the radar of the U.S. He told us this afternoon that he would have no further comment on the Coast Guard boat issue and confirmed that public transportation was used this weekend to get the basketball side to Ambergris Caye. In the case of the football side, they will be making their first appearance in the CONCACAF League tournament, which is not to be confused with the CONCACAF Champions League. The second-tier tournament is a knockout sixteen-team tournament featuring teams from Central America and the Caribbean whose winner advances to the Champions League. The draw for the CONCACAF League took place in Miami on May thirty-first, attended by Saldivar and members of his Bandits Sports organization. The Bandits were drawn against Nicaragua’s sole representative, Walter Ferretti F.C., and will play them over two legs later this year. Should the Bandits win, their next opponents will be either Plaza Amador of Panama or Portmore United of Jamaica. Saldivar told us today, “Our football team starts training today and we look forward to our matches with Walter Feretti of Nicaragua.”

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